Top 15 Woodworking Schools In The USA – 2024

Woodworking has been established as a very promising career throughout the years. It is the 45th most famous major in the US.  

However, as there are plenty of woodworking schools, it’d be a tough task for you to choose a school. No worries yet. We have researched for you. 

By the end of this article, hopefully, you will get to know the best woodworking schools in the US. In addition to this, we will give you a review of the best woodworking YouTube channels and blogs as well. 

Then, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started and find which school suits you most. 

Before Getting into a School: Know your Special Skills

Before enrolling in the woodworking class, you should assess your skill in current carpentry. Ask questions such as, are you informed of essential woodworking skills? Basic knowledge about the woodworking industry involves different projects. They require specific crafting techniques. By applying the knowledge, you will be able to handle various materials.

List down your skills to determine the learning pattern of woodworking. If you are passionate about designing pieces of wood, courses like furniture-making are best. This will ensure precise details in the crafting. You may shift the focus to dominate the joinery process of woodworking courses. 

These courses are available in many woodworking school.No need to worry in case of having zero practical ideas in the field. Most classes allow learners to progress from freshers to professionals. If you have firm determination in woodworking craft, you will benefit from attending a perfect woodworking school. 

Top 15 Best Woodworking schools in the USA 

Penland School Of Craft

To enhance a creative way of living, the Penland School of Craft provides craft education to its students. 

This woodworking school is situated in North Carolina. There are 16 well-prepared studios made for workshops including artist tenancies, a gallery and visitors center, and organization events.

The woodworking school offers 1, 2, and 8-week workshop programs by professional instructors. Whether you are an intermediate-level student or just a beginner, you can enroll here to improve your skill set in woodworking. 

Let’s take a look at the tuition fees of Penland School Of Crafts. 

Spring Tuition

  • Regular: $4,807
  • Hot glass: $6,263

Summer Tuition

  • Regular:$954
  • Hot Glass: $1,298

The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute

If you are looking for a woodworking school to get a scholarship and achieve your goal of woodworking, then The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute would be the best woodworking school for you. This school is situated in Adrian, Michigan. 

Being a nonprofitable institution, it provides scholarships to talented students. There are several professional courses you can take to be a specialist in woodworking. 

  • Tuition Cost: $12,400 (Wood Design Career Program: 40 week program)

Back Channel School Of Woodworking

Back Channel School of Woodworking can be one of the best options out there in the US for students who are busy with other jobs during the daytime.  

The school is located in the west of Pittsburgh in McKee Rocks, Pennsylvania in the US. As the classes are taken at night, busy students will also be able to enroll in the classes. However, no worries if you don’t feel like going to class at night. Back Channel provides day shifts for students coming from other towns.  

Good news for beginners, we recommend the newbies in this school as they provide more care for them.  

There are different plans you can choose to learn. You have to pay $995.00 for woodworking fundamentals classes and basic cabinet making classes(weekly one day). 

Mark Adams Schools of Woodworking

Mark Adams Schools of Woodworking is located in North Farkline, Indiana. You can register for their program directly from their website

Highly skilled trainers will take your classes and the school offers several formal degrees like bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as well as a Fortune Fellowship program.

Tuition Cost

  • Weekend classes:  Ranging from $195 to $390
  • Total costs of the whole program: $8200

Lonnie Bird’s School of Fine Woodworking

You might have heard the name, Lonnie Bird, a 

master woodworker. This person has more than 40 years of experience in this job, and his school is different from typical schools.  

If you want to learn the skill of furniture making more practically, then Lonnie Bird’s School of Fine Woodworking can be a good choice.

  • Tuition fees: $ 1200.00 for 40 hours of instruction courses 

Anderson Ranch Art Center

Anderson Ranch Art Center is one of the most famous woodworking schools in the US situated in Colorado. The school was established 50 years ago. A student will get several courses on art and craft. Notably, woodworking is one of the most prominent programs of this school.  

Therefore, if you’re looking to roll woodworking into a solid vocation, then Anderson Ranch Art Center’s certificate programs will be helpful to you.  

Rhode Island School of Design

To achieve a woodworking degree in the USA, Rhode Island School of Design is the finest school. It is located in Providence city, RI. This private design and art school was founded in 1877. The starting was with a few student populations. According to our research, 30 students graduated with a woodworking degree in the recent year.

At RISD, furniture design offers a deep immersion in the exploration of materials. They conduct extensive investigations in the making process of objects. Students analyze many important questions which are faced by today’s designers. You will learn how to bring the advantage of technology changing. Students are taught woodworking with new materials under any economic conditions.

The North Carolina Furniture School

The North Carolina Furniture School offers courses on furniture making, woodturning, and DIY woodworking. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced-level woodworker, you will learn at this school through many interesting practical classes. 

The NCFS study program details at a glance:

  • 1-day Classes
  • 2-day Workshops
  • 3 day Master Classes
  • 1-week Woodworking Intensives
  • Annual Foreign Study Immersion. 

In addition, this school provides all necessary equipment stocks at a discount rate for their learners. Overall, you are going to get plenty of exciting learning techniques such as 3D design, two-sided machining, jig making, ideas on digital fabrication, etc. You can enroll in the ShopBot Basic Training program costing $400. 

University of Tasmania Design Program

As the name suggests, if you want to learn how to design and manufacture wood arts, furniture, or other stuff, then the University of Tasmania design program is there for you. 

By taking this degree in design, a student will be able to get both experiences in studio jobs and graphics-based design. This school comes with a different course that you can select depending on your career plan and budget.  

The University of Tasmania’s design program offers several formal degrees like diplomas, associate degrees, and bachelor’s degrees. 

  • Tuition fees: 15,000 AUD (9 months)

Red Rocks Community College In Colorado

This school offers 12 specialized certificate programs in woodworking. That means a student is going to get plenty of courses by which he/she can be good in the woodworking field. If you ask us for an expert opinion, we would recommend you to join the course named Associates of Applied Science in Fine Woodworking.

  • Tuition fees: 3800 USD (9 months)

Palomar College in California

In 2013, Palomar College remodeled the woodworking classrooms. The furniture and Cabinet Technology increases their technological and program capabilities. They offer certificate programs and associate degrees in:

  • Chair and table Manufacturing
  • Cabinet Millwork and Making
  • Guitar Constructing Technology
  • Carving Technology and more.

Annually, Furniture and Cabinetmaking Technology Department delivers about 50 classes. The running faculty have 4 teachers, 21 instructors, and 11 assistants for teaching. Apart from these short study courses, an associate’s certificate is available for completing education requirements. You will find more about the tuition fees on their official website.

  • Tuition fees: 4300 USD (9 months)

School of Fine Woodworking

School of Fine Woodworking is a renowned institution for its magnificent teaching. The location is on North Dynamics Street, California. The school offers rapid courses with an effective learning experience. The courses focus on the finest carpentry methods. Professional teachers always deliver practical knowledge to their students. You will get a friendly study environment here.

In each class, they provide a downloadable plan set. You will get complete access to their all videos for the jigs and project. Besides, the students get priority support related to any woodworking questions. The course fee includes 1,295.00 USD which covers all materials. 300 USD deposit is required for all the students. 

Santa Fe Community College

Santa Fe Community College is a famous educational institution. Besides its woodworking programs, the College is commonly known for degree and certificate courses. They cover Fine Arts and the Arts & Design field. Also, the school focuses on fewer length classes to provide learners adequate attention.

The courses include an enormous emphasis on construction techniques, problem solving and design. Small business classes are conducted. This size will assure individual attention. The courses can be accomplished from Monday through Saturday by woodworking professionals. The class time is in the morning and afternoon along with the evening. Certificates will be available for Fine Woodworking, and Arts and Design.

  • Tuition fees: 7000 USD (9 months)

Long Beach City College

In case you love to learn about specific projects of woodworking, Long Beach City College will be a perfect example. They cover a long range of courses. The subjects include joinery to furniture making. We will recommend this institution as it provides group or individual projects. Learners get real industry experience.

Incoming high school graduates can enroll at Long Beach City College in the semester of Fall. After the following graduation, they are eligible to get the enrollment fees. It is covered for 2 years. Students have to complete their participation agreement. They need to meet the eligibility criteria. LBCC has five academic and career pathways.

  • Tuition fees: 3800 USD (9 months)

The Woodwright’s School

Woodwright’s School is located in North Carolina. This institution teaches students woodworking art. Besides, they have a heavy hand tool store. To conduct any woodwork, you will find enough in the store. The school covers a broad range of interesting topics like carving and woodturning. Additionally, hand courses and basic training are available. 

Classes involve basic project planning and workshop safety. You will learn to make pen kits. Turning bowls are taught here. Students have the opportunity to work with resins and epoxies. The curriculum covers staining techniques and upcycling veneering process. And,  essential woodworking techniques will be covered accordingly!

The Woodwright’s School has several courses, you can get those here. The fees per course varies from $185 to $855

Watch Youtube Videos First

It is difficult to learn anything new. For others, woodworking crafts are intimidating. So, we recommend that resident woodworkers familiarize themselves with this industry through youtube videos. Surprisingly, many field professionals didn’t learn woodworking from any programs. However, the best formal education courses have no alternative. 

You may try to grasp woodworking craft through tutorial videos on YouTube.By doing this, you can prepare yourself for the projects and activities required in an original woodworking school. Always remember, youtube has supremely specific content. Besides showcasing effective woodworking skills, some creators demonstrate in-depth discussions about it. 

How to choose the best materials and use the right tools? The answer is given in the videos. Although, Youtube videos will never be better than woodworking programs. They offer additional knowledge to the users. We will focus on the top 5 best YouTube channels dedicated to releasing woodworking-related videos.

Top 5 Best Woodworking YouTube Channels

John Heisz 

A Canadian woodworker, John Heisz makes videos based on his tools. It will help you to observe his projects. YouTube channels have videos on making different tools. The series shows how to build homemade clamps like hand screws or wooden bar ones. Another video series shows the making of a homemade vise.

Frank Howarth

Woodworker Frank creates videos that have stunning visuals. They will inspire the viewer. He uses his excellent filmmaking skills for woodworking projects. Also, Frank uses an animation technique that is capable of things like clamps and chisels. You will be able to spend quality time understanding the woodworking crafts.

Make Something

If you want to earn money from woodworking skills, the Make Something channel will help you. It is owned by David Picciuto. This site is a perfect place to learn. He encourages workers to use great designs to sell to the clients. You need to give credit for his design. Channel contains tutorials for building things at a super skill level, from newbies to experts.

Jimmy DiResta

For over 40 years, Jimmy DiResta has been working in this field. His YouTube channel has effective videos on woodworking projects. Jimmy is a fine teacher who delivers his production methods. The videos are released twice a month. Watching his channel videos, you will be able to concentrate deeply on the crafts. 

Garage Woodworks

In the garage woodshop, Brian Grella constructs woodworking projects. His motto is “Car Lives Outside.”Brian works to make useful household things like pizza cutters, breakfast trays, and guitar stands. In one of the most viewed YouTube videos, he demonstrates how to build salad tongs. So, you can perfectly learn woodworking lessons from the channel.

Top 5 Best Woodworking Blogs 

The House of Wood

Jen Woodhouse is a songwriter and Army wife. Plus she makes blogs about carpentry and others. The House of Wood blog documents Jen’s adventures in building and designing woodworking furniture.

The Rogue Engineer

Jamison along with Jamie, his wife, brings DIY to a new level. If a viewer likes to build fancy stuff, then the Rogue Engineer is a perfect example for you.

Paul Sellers

Paul Sellers has been in the woodworking field for decades. His informative videos are interesting. The website contains many informational articles on Paul’s life. To accomplish the woodworking craft, the blog should be checked out properly. 

Steve Ramsey

Experts say that woodworking is not focused on making tools. This hobby is quite expensive. Steve Ramsey has a blog about precious 

woodworking. You can try out fabulous free plans and videos here. 

Jay Bates

Jay Bates’s blog name is Custom Creations. It is a treasure house of authentic information. He has made various vlogs for the viewers. Seasoned woodworkers will benefit mostly from huge volumes of his information.

Conclusions

Woodworking is a great way to create jobs. This innovative work provides you with endless scope to show your creativity. If you need to learn anything about the woodworking field, a good institution is highly recommended. Nowadays, the best woodworking schools are available in your town to teach you to become the best woodworkers.

The craft has its charm. An excellent institution makes the learning process much easier. Eventually, it takes less time to acquire skills in the woodworking sector. We hope this article will deliver you a crystal clear concept about it. Many schools also provide teaching online. Choose your way of learning.

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